Packet radio is making a comeback!. Packet nodes are popping up all over the country, primarily for EMCOMM uses, but open to all. If you have not yet read about the custom $40 TNC made especially for use with the Raspberry Pi computer, (aptly named the TNC-Pi), check it out here then join in the fun! GAARES has plans to mount two Digipeaters in Waycross in the near future. The TNC-Pi can also be used to build an APRS tracker and a portable WINLINK node

The Glynn Amateur Radio Association (GARA) has a new website, check it out at www.garaclub.com

The Camden County Emergency Management Agency has named Charles White as the new EMA Director, replacing Mark Crews! Charles is a retired Navy Master at Arms K9 Handler, and spent 13 years at the Port of Jacksonville as Head of Security. He is very ham radio friendly so we are expecting many positive changes in 2018.

The "South East Georgia Amateur Radio Auxiliary Communications" (SEGARAC) group, Camden County's ARES organization, is currently working with the county EMA to begin the process of identifying, training, and equipping all local medical facilities required by DHS to participate in emergency communications drills. It will be a big task, as estimates have the number of qualifying facilities at near 20.

SEGARAC is also working with Camden EMA and Georgia ARES to install a DStar repeater stack in our area, tied into the state wide DStar system. The major hold up right now is installation of four new towers as part of a county-wide public service communications upgrade.

There have been more updates made on the Local Repeater page of this site, including additions, deletions, call sign changes, CTCSS tones, and more. Update your radio memories today!

Club Project - CCARS is currently taking suggestions for a simple, inexpensive, educational, and, of course, useful club project that we can start building at a meeting and then have a final project contest. One suggestion was a voltage regulator board that could be used as the basis for a power supply. The PC boards, schematics, and parts lists would be given out by the club, and all the parts, including transformer, pass transistors, and enclosure, would be purchased by the builder (maybe a kit of small parts could be made available at cost?). Other suggestions are welcomed, including commercially available kits. Ideas?

If you haven't started playing with the sub-$40 Raspberry Pi micro computer, you are missing out on a lot of fun and inexpensive ham radio uses, like an a homebrew Echolink or APRS node, compact portable digitial mode terminal, satellite tracking, and much more. The list is growing everyday, and with the release of the new, more powerful "RasPi-2", the possibilities are even greater. You can start with the RasPi homepage then visit Adafruit for parts and ideas. Also check our LINKS page for more.

In addition to the RasPi, the sub-$50 Arduino family of microprocessors (Uno, Nano, Mega, etc.) has staked its claim to an amazing array of amateur radio related use: Rotor/antenna controllers, APRS, baloon telemetry, satellite tracking, digital displays, and much more. Start here for tutorials and project ideas. There are a number of great books available from the ARRL, as well as parts and kits from numerous sources like Amazon, Sparkfun, and Adafruit. And, of course, check our LINKS page for more.

LINKS PAGE The page lists links to dozens of calculators, antenna analysis software, parts and equipment dealers, reference sources, and tons of other radio & electronics related stuff. It even has a dedicated page of links to radio related apps for your Android smart phone. Check it out here: ANDROID APPS

Club Activities

The planning committee is always looking for new ways to get our club members together to enjoy this great hobby. Field trips, cookouts, special event stations, JOTA, IOTA, Field Day, fox hunts, we love to do it all! You can be part of it too and now is a great time. We are busy planning new events for the upcoming year! Click here for more information and pictures of some of our recent activities.

WEEKLY BREAKFAST

Join us each Saturday at 0915 for breakfast at

Denny'sHwy 40 W, Kingsland, GA (Just off I-95 Exit 3)

Be sure to check in via FM 147.195 (118.8t) or DMR (Kingsland Local 1)so we can have a seat waiting for you!

Don't have a Ham Radio License yet? Ready to upgrade your existing license? Not a problem! We can't take the test for you, but we can point you in the right direction and administer your test when you are ready.

Knowledge of Morse Code is no longer required for ANY class of licenses!